Monday, May 30, 2011

As I sat at my computer, I could hear the alarm call of a bird outside. I looked out the window scanning all the trees and ground searching for the predator, and soon saw a hawk perched on a limb of the old willow tree. As I looked through the branches at the bird, I could see it was eating something and soon noticed the dangling legs of a poor wee bird. Yes I know hawks have to eat too, but I would rather they go some place else to catch their dinner, and leave all my birds and critters alone.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Friday, when the weather was nice, I started removing the irrigation lines in my vegetable garden. You see, I had 1/4" soaker hose installed, but was not too happy with the way it delivered water to my raised beds, so when I was in the hardware store looking to see what else may work, I noticed 1/4" flexible polyethylene tubing with 1/2 GPH self cleaning drippers built in every 6". I had an 'aha' moment and thought to myself, "why not give this a try"

Drip line installed on the first raised bed.

Of course the weather turned crummy on Saturday and Sunday, but there were short periods between showers when I went out and started installing the new tubing.

I already had the 1/4"main line from the 1/2 tubing which runs around the perimeter of the garden installed, so all I had to do was run a new 1/4" line along the top of the side of the raised bed and insert T fittings every 1' then cut eight lines which run across the bed, and install them. I have an old thermos which I fill with very hot water, take it out to the garden so I can dip the ends of the tubing in the hot water to soften them, making it an easy job to push in any of the fittings.

T fitting secured with a Support clamp.

The other end is closed off using a hole plug.

I ran the system for about 3/4 hour tonight and it seemed to be working as I wish it to. I still have to set up the timer so the watering will be done in the wee small hours of the morning. I like to get the watering done around 5am before the heat of the day. It remains to be seen if we are going to have much of a summer this year.

I had to be careful in laying out the lines between the beans and other crops. I only broke off the top of one bean.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Nothing goes to waste around here. The good lettuce leaves will make a very nice salad, the not so nice ones I tossed to the rabbit sitting outside the garden gate, and the kale will be for our pet rabbit, Bun.